Aeroplane.



J. W. SWALES.

' AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12. l9l4.

1,150,233 Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I J. W. SWALES.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.12| 1914;

' 1,150,233. I Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.l. W. SWALES.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.12| I914.

1 ,150,333a PatentedAug. 17, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

JOHN W. SWALES, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1'7, 1915.

Application filed February 12, 1914. Serial No. 818,359.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. -SWALES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California,.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an aeroplane withangularly disposed longitudinally extending fixed stabilizing andsustaining plane surfaces which will greatly extend the stabilizingsurface over and above any construction now known to me.

A further object of the invention is to hang a platform, which alsofunctions as .a plane surface, from the plane body comprising thestabilizing and sustaining planes and disposing the weight of the engineand the operators weight on opposite sides of the center of mass in sucha manner as to equalize the load and assist in rendering the areoplanestable in flight.

Further objects and features of the invention will be more fullydescribed in con nection with the accompanying drawings and will be moreparticularly pointed out and ascertained in and by the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrative ofone embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View with portions ofthe fixed plane omitted. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 ofFig. 1. 'Fig. 4 is a rear view of a portion of the fixedstabilizing'plane structure, in perspective, showing a stabilizingrudder and a portion of theoperating means therefor. Fig. 5 is asectional view of an operating device for thestabilizing rudder, thesteering rudder and the altitude rudder.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout thedifferent figures of the drawings.

As illustrated, my improved air-ship includes fixed planes 1, 2, 3 and4, which extend upwardly, downwardly, and laterally, respectively, froma medial line of juncture of said planes Which medial line intersectsthe center of mass and which extends longitudinally of the structure.The planes 1 and 2 function primarily as stabilizing planes whereas theplanes 3 and 4 function primarily as lifting or sustainin planes. Aswill be seen more particularly y refermedial point of ence to Fig.3, thestabilizing planes 1 and2 are vertically disposed and extend upwardlyand downwardly from the medial line of uncture 5 whereas the sustainingplanes 3 and 4 extend laterally outwardly from the point of juncture 5in a generally horizontal direction. I the sustaining planes 3 and 4from the point of uncture 5 upwardly and outwardly toward their edges 6and 7 so that the outer edges 6 and 7 will lie somewhat above thejuncture 5. The sustaining and likewise their rearward ends 9 curvedownwardly from the central portions 10 thereof.

In plan view, the sustaining planes 3 and 4 are generally oval incontour, and in side elevation, the stabilizing planes 1 and 2 aregenerally elliptical in contour and the stabilizing and sustainingplanes are shown of substantlally equal length and extending throughoutthe length of the body of the air-ship. v

I provide a support .for the operator and the prime mover which ispreferably shaped to constitute a plane surface, and in the form shown,the platform is indicated at 11 and comprises an oval-shaped body inplan, an u wardly curved prow 12 and an upward y curved stern 13. Wheels14 are shown mounted on brackets 15 which are secured to the platform11, and the latter is pendantly hung from the sustaining planes 3 and 4by means of rods 16 and 17. Inasmuch as the upwardly bent prow 12 servesas an elevating surface, and inasmuch as this forward elevating surfacemerges into the body of the platform 11, it will be seen that thatportion of the platform 11 between the wheels 14 will act as asustaining plane so that the rods 16 and 17 during flight, willprimarily function as a means for rigidly connecting the platform withthe rigid plane structure, comprising the planes 1 to 4. When theair-ship is at rest, and is carried by the wheels 14, then the rods 16and 17 will function as supporting rods for the rigid plane structure.

The platform central opening the rigid plane structure plane is providedwith a in such close proximity that the lower stabilizing plane 2proects through the opening 18 and extends below the platform plane 11throughout a 18 and is connected with 29, with shafts 21 and in bearingstend in parallel relation wlth the longitudiportion of the lengththereof. In addition to the pendant rods 16 and 17, I may connect theplatform plane 11 with the stabilizing plane 2 by transverse bracemembers 19, which may be connected with the plane 2 in any desirablemanner, as will be more clearly seen by reference to Fig. 2. As shown,the braces 19 extend between the axles 20, of the wheels 14.

The oval platform plane 11 provides sufficient area, laterally of thestabilizing plane 2, for supporting various mechanisms which will now bedescribed.

Propeller shafts 21 and 22 are mounted 23 and 24, respectively, andexnal axis of the air-ship. On the ends of said shafts 24 and 22 I mountpropellers 25 and 26 so that an air current will be drawn between theplatform plane and the sustaining planes 3 and 4 and on opposite sidesof the lower stabilizing plane 2. A prime mover 27, which may be in theform of a gasolene engine, is connected by transmission means such assprocket chains 28 and 22, respectively, as will be seen more clearly byreference to Fig. 2. The weight of the prime mover 27 is counterbalancedby the weight of the operator whose seat is indicated at 30, and also bya steering operating device indicated as a whole at 31, which is inaccessible operating proximity to the operators seat 30. An altituderudder 32, is movable about a horizontal axis, as indicated at 33, atthe juncture of the forward ends of the sustaining and stabilizingplanes. Operating cables 34 and 35, the former for lowering and thelatter for raising the plane 32, are connected therewith, as indicatedat 36 and 37. Said operating cables 34and are trained about pulleys 38and 39 and extend over pulleys 40 and-41 downwardly to an operating drum42, about which they are trained in opposite directions. The drum 42 ismounted upon a drum spindle 43 which is provided with a hand-wheel 44. Adrum 45 is formed integral with a drum sleeve 46 which is rotatable onthe spindle 43 and is provided with a hand-wheel 47. A drum 48 is formedintegral with drum sleeve 49 which is journaled in a bearing 50 mountedon uprights 51. A hand-wheel 52 is provided for turning the drum 48.

Rearwardly of the fixed plane structure I mount a stabilizing planewhich is adjustable about a horizontal axis and which is indicatedat'53. Plane 53 may be provided with a sleeve 54 rotatable about aspindle 55 projecting from the rigid plane structure, as shown moreparticularly in Fig. 4. Pulleys 56 and 57 are loosely mounted upon astud 58 projecting rearwardly from the fixed lane 1 and cables 59 and 60are connected P with the stabilizing plane 53 on opposite front of sidesof its axis, and extend about the pulleys 56 and 57 and downwardlytherefrom over pulleys 61 and 62 from which they extend forwardly overpulleys 63 and 64 down to drum 45 about which are trained in oppositedirections.

The air currents generated in the wake of the propellers are deflectedby the rear deflecting portion 13 of the platform plane against thestabilizing plane 53 so that in case the airship tilts from an uprightposition, it can be righted by tilting the stabilizing plane 53 so thatpressure will be relieved on one under side thereof and increased onanother under side thereof, the under sides referred to being onopposite sides of the horizontal axis about which the plane is tilted.

- A rear portion of the fixed stabilizing plane 1 is hinged, as at 65,to swing about a vertical axis .to steer the aeroplane. This steeringrudder is indicated at 66 and is rovided with oppositely extending arms67 and 68 to which controlling cables 69 and 70 are connected. Thecontrolling cables 69 and 70 are trained about pulleys 71 and 72 andextend downwardlyto drum 48 where they are wound thereabout in oppositedirections.

Any suitable means may be provided for locking the drums 42, 45 or 48 inadjusted positions if desired, such means being in the form of pawl andratchet or suitable friction clutches,-but as my invention does notpertain to this feature of the structure, I have not thought itnecessary to illustrate this feature in detail.

Propulsive thrust is imparted by means of the propellers and thereforeit will be seen that an air current will be induced to flow between thesustaining planes 3 and 4 and the platform discharged rearwardly betweenthe converging ends 9 and 13, of said planes. The fixed stabilizingplane 1 will be freefroni air currents generated by the propellers tomaintain the air-ship in a normal position,

the cables 59 and 60 I plane 7, where it will be the fixed stabilizingplanes 1 and 2 acting as air keels. Furthermore, resistance at the themachine is reduced to minimum by reason of the fact that the heels orstabilizing planes 1 and 2 present their front edges to the air and theupturned prow 12 serves to increase ascending action. Altitude, however,is controlled by the altitude plane 32, primarily.

WVhile I have herein shown and described one specifioform of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited thereto except for suchlimitations as the claims may import.

I claim 1. An aeroplane comprising in combination, substantiallyhorizontal and vertical plane surfaces extending outwardly from a medialline of )uncture, a carrying plane hung from said horizontal surface,and propellers mounted between said horizontal plane and said carryingplane.

2. Any aeroplane comprising in combination, substantially horizontal andvertical planes of identical outline contour with respect to each otherand extending outwardly horizontally and vertically from a medial lineof juncture, a carrying plane hung from said horizontal plane, andpropellers mounted between said horizontal plane and said carryingplane.

3. An aeroplane comprising incombination, substantially horizontal andvertical planes of oval outline extending outwardly from amedial line ofjuncture and rigidly connected to form a sustaining and stabilizingbody, and a carrying plane swung from said horizontal plane.

4. An' aeroplane comprising in combination, substantially horizontal andvertical planes extending outwardly from a medial line of juncture, thehorizontal planes being arched transversely and longitudinally, a

carrying plane swung. from said horizontal planes, and propellersmounted between said horizontal planes and said carrying plane to causethe air to be directed against said horizontal planes and to give theproper propulsive movement.

5. An aeroplane comprising in combination, a rigid body composed ofvertical planes extending upwardly and downwardly from a medial line ofjuncture and horizontal planes extending outwardly from said medial lineof juncture and said planes being equal in length with respect to eachother, and a. carrying plane hung from said body and arched to extendits prow and stern ends toward said horizontal planes.

6. An aeroplane comprising in combina-' tion, a rigid body composed ofvertical planes extending upwardly and downwardly from its medial lineof juncture and horizontal planes extending outwardly from said line ofjuncture, a carrying plane hung from said body and extending insubjacent relation with respect to said horizontal planes, andpropelling devices disposed on opposite sides of said downwardly extending plane and between said horizontal planes and said carrying plane.

An aeroplane comprising in combination, superposed horizontal ing towardeach other at the stern, a propeller mounted to work between said planesfor discharging a current planes convergbetween the converging endsthereof, a vertically disposed plane extending longitudinally of saidsuperposed horizontal planes, and a stabilizing plane mounted on acentral horizontal axis extending in line with the vertical plane to betiltable about said axis into the path of current discharge from betweensaid converging planes.

8. An aeroplane comprising superposed horizontal planes convergingtoward each other at the prow and at the stern, a vertically disposedplane extending longitudinally of said superposed horizontal planes, apropeller mounted on either side of said vertical plane to work betweensaid horizontal planes and in operation to take in an air currentthrough the forward converging ends of said horizontal planes and todischarge the said current between the converging rear ends of saidplanes, a stabilizing plane mounted on a horizontal axis extending inline with said vertical plane and said stabilizing plane arranged to betiltable into the path of current discharge from be tween saidconverging horizontal planes, and an altitude rudder at the prow endtiltable about a horizontal axis.

9. An aeroplane comprising a substantially horizontal plane,'a carryingplane disposed below the horizontal plane and 'provided with an upwardlycurved prow end, and a vertically disposed longitudinally extendingplane arranged between said horizontal plane and said carrying plane.

10. An aeroplane comprising in combination, a rigid body comprisingvertical planes extending upwardly and downwardly from a medial line ofjuncture and horizontal planes extending outwardly from said line ofjuncture, a carrying plane hung from said horizontal planes, propellersdisposed between said carrying plane and horizontal planes upon oppositesides of said downwardly extending vertical plane, a prime mover on saidcarrying plane on one side of said downwardly extending vertical planefor operating said propellers, and an operators sea-t on said carryingplane opposite the prime mover for counterbalanclng the weight of thelatter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature Witnesses:

NASH W. QUINLAN, J OHN B. WALLACE.

